Ensuring Fair and Effective Aviation Policy

ARSA works closely with senators and representatives to ensure fair and effective aviation policy that meets the needs of the maintenance industry while maintaining the strongest focus on safety and security.

As a heavily-regulated industry, the aviation community needs to ensure agencies, such as the FAA and TSA receive the funding they need to provide fair oversight and effective rulemaking. However, all too often legislators demand agency action but fail to equip regulators with the capabilities or capacity to respond. What’s worse, lawmakers with little understanding of aviation maintenance issues and the regulatory framework governing the industry (both globally and domestically) will often seek to micromanage repair stations by imposing new laws that don’t fit with existing regulations.

In addition to ARSA’s leadership in efforts to lift the ban on the certification of new foreign repair stations and pass the FAA bill, the Association works with lawmakers on a host of other aviation related issues. ARSA raises awareness of ICA issues among lawmakers, highlighting the repair industry’s difficulties in gaining access to these important documents. The Association’s efforts have sought to ensure that regulations are consistently and fairly enforced.

Efforts on legislative policy also include educating lawmakers about the delicate framework of international agreements that govern the aviation industry. As a truly global business, it is important that lawmakers not undermine the global backbone of aviation with short-sighted policies. The Association also fights to assure that the FAA has the resources to accomplish its missions, and keeps a watchful eye for any legislation impacting repair stations.

ARSA works with lawmakers, their staffs, and congressional aviation committees to develop an aviation policy that is responsive to the industry’s needs while also ensuring the safety and reliability of the nation’s aviation network.

In early 2015, ARSA ran multiple member surveys to collect industry data. The surveys, which include a workforce development questionnaire and the most-recent edition of the association’s annual member survey,…

On July 16, the Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General (DOT-IG) issued a report criticizing FAA oversight of foreign repair stations in the European Union (E.U.).
The investigation was…

On July 15, the FAA released draft Order 8120.16A entitled “Suspected Unapproved Parts (SUP) Program,” which would cancel current Order 8120.16, “Processing Reports of Suspected Unapproved Parts.” The draft Order…